Seven companies have shown an interest in taking over the earthworks contract on the Lincoln Eastern Bypass project after previous subcontractor collapsed last month.

Image source, Lincolnshire County Council

Hawk Plant Ltd appointed administrators in January.

The companies have until this Friday to submit a bid.

Lincolnshire County Council says it remains uncertain whether the collapse will cause further delays to the project.

A fundraising appeal set up to find the body of the North Lincolnshire pilot David Ibbotson is £60,000 off its target.

Image source, Getty Images / David Ibbotson

Mr Ibbotson, from Crowle, was flying the plane which crashed with the footballer Emiliano Sala on board.

His family is hoping to raise £300,000 to fund a search team to find his body.

The lifts at the footbridge in the centre of Lincoln have been branded "disgusting and vile" by users.

Image source, Google

They were only opened three years ago, but some have described them as "mucky, stinky and like a toilet".

One user of the footbridge said: "If you want my honest opinion it's vile isn't it?

"It's got muck everywhere, stains everywhere."

Network Rail has apologised and promised to put a cleaning regime in place.

Police in Lincolnshire are warning the public about a bull on the loose in Skellingthorpe this morning.

We'll keep you updated:

BBC Weather

Some mist in places at first but this will clear, as will any areas of low cloud, to allow for some periods of sunshine.

Dry this afternoon with further sunny spells.

Mild with moderate winds.

The MP for Gainsborough, Sir Edward Leigh, has accused American technology firms of "attacking our children" and "sucking the life out" of various sectors in the UK.

Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Sir Edward said it's time the firms pay their fair share of tax and "play by the same rules" as everybody else:

A very rare albino squirrel has been spotted in Louth:

Image source, Steve Plant

The squirrel (pictured) was seen by birdwatchers next to the canal in the town.

Wildlife experts say it's very unusual, with only a handful throughout the country.

Steve Plant was the photographer who managed to snap it and says it took him by surprise:

The Lincolnite

Seven companies have shown an interest in taking over the earthworks contract on the Lincoln Eastern Bypass project following the collapse of the previous subcontractor last month, external.

Image source, The Lincolnite

Market Rasen racecourse has confirmed Sunday's meeting will go ahead as planned.

Image source, Market Rasen Racecourse

It was under threat due to an outbreak of equine flu, but last night the British Horse Racing Authority decided horses could run from tomorrow.

A total of 174 stables, including racehorse owner James Given's in Lincolnshire, had been subject to a lockdown.

An 18-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman have died following a crash near Market Rasen yesterday evening.

A black Ford Fiesta and a Land Rover Freelander collided at the junction of the A1103 and A46, Caistor Road, at about 21:30.

The man was driving the Ford Fiesta and the woman was in the passenger seat.

Three other occupants travelling in the car remain seriously injured in hospital.

We've been getting numerous reports of large explosions or bangs being heard on the Lincolnshire coast this afternoon.

Here's one of them:

We've been in touch with the police who've told us that it's the noise from an RAF training exercise and no cause for concern.

We're used to the sound of jets roaring overhead in Lincolnshire, so it must be an especially loud one...

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A Lincolnshire county councillor has spoken of his shock and sadness after his mother's body was found at her home in Spain - nearly a year after she died.

Valerie Butroid, 71, was discovered by police at her home near Marbella on Saturday.

She's believed to have died on 12 March last year.

Forensic investigators say she died of natural causes, but a local judge will look into why the death wasn't reported.

In a statement, Richard Butroid, county councillor for Gainsborough Rural South, said it was a "deeply sad time" for the family.

BBC News Travel

Something to be aware of if you're planning to driving the A1 near Dry Doddington this afternoon:

Lincolnshire Echo

A leading Conservative councillor has explained how his name came to be included on a list of British National Party members., external

Image source, Linconshire Live

Councils in Lincolnshire have seen the number of complaints about missed bin collections fall over the past five years.

Nationally they've gone up by a third and the Local Government Association has blamed austerity for the increase.

Here the five districts, which participated in the BBC research, all reported an overall drop in complaints.

In South Kesteven the number of complaints has fallen by almost 1,800 since 2014.

Grantham and Stamford Conservative MP Nick Boles has been told he has three weeks to decide if he wants to stand as MP for the constituency again.

It's after a meeting of members of the constituency association last night.

Some local Conservatives have called for Mr Boles to consider his position after they disagreed with his stance on Brexit.

Police are appealing for information after an otter was killed by an illegal trap near the River Witham at Wyndham Park in Grantham:

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

The otter was found in an illegal crayfish trap.

Otters are a European Protected Species and protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Not taking enough care or deliberately injuring an otter is an offence which can lead to prosecution, police say.

BBC Weather Watchers

At first I thought this photo had been submitted upside down to the BBC Weather Watchers site!

In fact, Weather Watcher Jammy dodger just managed to capture a mirror-like canal in Spalding:

Six people have been seriously injured following two separate crashes in Lincolnshire last night.

The first was on Wisbech Road at Tydd St Mary at about 18:30 which led to one man being taken to hospital.

The second happened at the junction of the A1103 and the A46 in Market Rasen at about 21:30 which involved two vehicles and left five people with serious injuries.

Both roads were closed for a number of hours.

Residents in the Spalding area are being asked for their views on the town's proposed relief road.

Image source, South Holland District Council

South Holland District Council hopes it will reduce congestion in and around the town.

The authority's hosting drop-in sessions in Spalding and Pinchbeck this week.

The first is being held today at the Woodland Hotel.